[AS3] help creating solution check algorithm for puzzle type game

[Blkhwks19]

Anyone have any idea how to program the algorithm for that old game Mastermind? The users guess needs to be checked against the solution (each consisting of 4 colors). The user is notified how many colors they have correct and in the correct position, and how many colors they have correct, but in the wrong position. Since duplicates are allowed in the solution, I cant simply check the solutions colors with the matching position of the guess. I need something a little better that can handle the duplicates and im not quite sure how to set that up. Any thoughts or ideas on this?

[rrh]

First you check for black matches, then white matches using only those positions that didn't get a black match.

Checking for black matches is simple. If position i in the guess matches position i in the code, it's a match. Then eliminate i from the list of positions that will be used for checking white matches.

Then, for each colour of peg, count the number of pegs of that colour in the guess, and in the code. (using only the positions that haven't been eliminated in the previous step) For each colour, pick the smaller count of either the guess or of the code, and add them all up. That will be the number of white matches.

Does this make sense?